Sign of the Dragon
by ShadowFawkes
Summary: All the well-born families sent their children to Hogwarts, in the hopes of giving them the best education money could buy. He knew his son would be sent there and he would be able to get his life back. First in the Dragon Series. Repost! R & R
1. Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy walked through the streets of Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters. They belong to J.K. Rowling and I am simply borrowing them. I will put them back once I am done playing with them.

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Draco Malfoy walked through the streets of Diagon Alley. He had been here hundreds of times with his father, Lucius Malfoy, but this was the first time he was going to get supplies for Hogwarts. Draco was rather excited to be going to Hogwarts, however, he could not help but feel that something strange was going to occur.

Diagon Alley was quite busy as other children were getting supplies as well. Draco longingly stopped at the Quidditch store, but had to remind himself that was for later. Right now, he had to purchase a wand.

The sign for Ollivander's came into view as Draco pushed his way through the crowd. Once he reached the door, he slowly opened it and noticed that no one was there. _Perhaps he is in the back._

Draco closed the door behind him. There were rows of wand boxes lining the walls. How could there be just one for him with so many around? A large book was lying open on a table in the middle of the room. Draco walked up to the table and turned the book to face him. He was just about to inspect it.

"Just as inquisitive as your father was, Mr. Malfoy." Draco jumped and looked up to see Mr. Ollivander standing next to him.

"Well, I dare say you take a lot after your mother, she had an Elm, 9 ¾, Unicorn Hair." Mr. Ollivander paused to observe Draco's eyes. "I can see your mother's colour in your eyes. Though you have more of your father's eyes with the dark grey, though I am amazed they are not as dark as his are."

"I…I am sorry sir, but my father has light blue eyes." Draco interrupted

"Oh, does he? Ah, yes, I remember now. Well, that really does not matter, now does it? You are here for a wand." Draco simply nodded. He was beginning to get a little scarred by Mr. Ollivander's strange behaviour.

Mr. Ollivander searched for a good ten minutes before coming with a wand, however Draco ended up blowing a large amount of papers off the table.

"No, No" was all Mr. Ollivander would say. Actually none of the 'normal' wands Draco tried worked, until Mr. Ollivander stood looking quite puzzled. A look of question formed on his face, after a minute and "I wonder" was all he said, before disappearing.

Mr. Ollivander appeared again holding a black wand. He took one look at the wand and then handed it to Draco. A warm sensation came over Draco and a soft green light formed around him.

"Very interesting." Remarked Mr. Olivander

"What is interesting, sir?"

Mr. Ollivander looked at Draco and took the wand from his hand. Slowly he examined it. "Often a wand will take after the attributes of a parent. Usually a girl's wand will take after the mother's and a boy's wand after the father's. Your wand, Mr. Malfoy, obviously does not." He then handed it back to Draco. After purchasing the wand,

Draco left Ollivander's store rather relieved to be out of there. Mr. Ollivander stood watching after him.

"Yes, we will definitely see great things from you, Mr. Malfoy."

XXXXX

Narcissa Malfoy walked through the busy streets of Diagon Alley looking for her son, Draco. He had only gone to purchase a wand; he should have been back already. She had promised Lucius they would meet him for lunch and both Draco and she knew how Lucius got when he was upset.

Narcissa had looked everywhere for Draco, when she noticed him by the Quidditch store. "Draco, I thought I told you to meet me at the bookstore once you got your wand. Your father will probably be waiting for us."

Draco turned toward Narcissa with a smile, but it slightly dropped by the end of her scolding. "Well, I just bought my wand and I stopped quickly to look around." Draco said as they both began to walk.

Narcissa turned to Draco a look of confusion on her face. "It took you that long to find a wand?"

Draco nodded at her question. "Yes and Mr. Ollivander was awfully strange. He said that my wand was interesting because it was not like Father's or your wand."

Narcissa slowed down slightly. "Really? What type of wand did you get?"

"13 inches, ebony, part Dragon's Heartstring, part Hawthorne." Replied Draco.

Narcissa looked forward not looking at Draco. "Oh, well that is interesting." For the rest of the small trip to the centre of Diagon Alley neither Draco nor Narcissa talked to one another. Draco stared into the shops wondering if he needed anything from them and Narcissa seemed to be in deep thought. Finally, they caught up with Lucius and went to eat. Lucius, unlike Narcissa did not seem as affected by the type of wand Draco had bought. He was far too busy talking about the fact that Draco would be a good Death Eater now, especially since Draco would be getting the proper training as a wizard. However, in public, he would never say that word out loud, but they both knew what he meant. He was so wrapped up with his little speeches he never even noticed that Draco and Narcissa rarely spoke.

XXXXXX

The Malfoy Manor was a realm of utter chaos as the house elves raced to get all of Draco's supplies ready for his trip to Hogwarts. None of them wanted to get in the way of the master. That would only cause problems and delays.

Lucius walked into the main living room where Draco and Narcissa were. They all greeted each other accordingly.

"Well, this is your first year at Hogwarts so I hope you excel at everything. I won't accept anything less, is that clear?" Draco could see _that_ gleam in his father's eyes and knew what it meant and what would happen if he did not do his best.

"Yes, Father."

"Good. I have some pressing matters in London that cannot wait so your mother will be accompanying you to the train station." With that, said Lucius walked away leaving Narcissa and Draco alone. They both knew what matters Lucius was talking about but neither would say anything aloud.

An hour later, Narcissa and Draco were walking through the train station to Platform 9 ¾ where the Hogwarts Express lay waiting.

Narcissa stopped her son and grabbed him in a hug. "Draco, I want you to be on your best behaviour. I do not want any letters about you misbehaving."

"Yes, Mother."

"Alright, just remember that we will be going to Diagon Alley during Christmas Break and you father is not to know. Well have a wonderful time and I want you to write me when you can."

"I understand Mother and I will." Draco and Narcissa hugged each other for a few more minutes, until the whistle rang from the train. They both let go and looked at each other for a second before Draco left to get on the train.

_Gods, they are so alike._ Narcissa thought as tears came to her eyes threatening to fall. She waved as the train took away her only pride and joy.


	2. Chapter 2

All of the first year students boarded on to the boats that would take them to Hogwarts

All of the first year students boarded on to the boats that would take them to Hogwarts. They were all in awe of the old castle that lay before them. Draco got a seat with his 'friends' Crabbe and Goyle. Neither was what you would consider friends, but they were close enough.

Crabbe and Goyle looked around, wondering if Hogwarts food would be good or not, as Draco got a strange feeling in his stomach. It felt as if he was meant to be here, as if this was home. Draco shrugged the feeling off thinking it was probably because he hungry and his friends were talking about food.

An old looking witch came up to the small group of first years once they walked up the large staircase of Hogwarts. She tapped Draco's shoulder as she came up to them. He looked up at her and then walked away from the boy known as Harry Potter. He was only trying to be polite, as any respectable wizard would have done, so what if he had insulted one of the 'Weasel Clan'.

The students then filled into a large room as Draco looked over crossly at Potter. As Draco entered the room, he noticed it was more than a mere room. It seemed that everyone in the school was seated in this room or rather hall. There were four long tables laid across the entire length of the hall, where other students were sitting. There was also a large table in the back of the hall. Placed right in front of it was a stool with an old looking hat lying on top of it.

Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, had told him about this. All Draco had to do was put the hat on and it would tell him which house he would be sorted into. Draco knew he would be in Slytherin. Not only because his family had been in that house for centuries or his father's constant talks about him being in Slytherin. No, Draco just knew he would be in Slytherin and sure enough when it was his turn the hat placed him in Slytherin.

The ceremony had ended and the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, stood to greet the new students. Draco wondered what was so important on the third floor that would cause such secrecy. Would there not be a real threat then in the school if they did not let people go there? As soon as the Headmaster ended his speech, the feast began. Draco had started a conversation with a boy named Marcus Flint.

"Hey where is our Head of House anyway?"

"Professor Snape is our Head of House. He is the teacher sitting next to Professor Quirrell; Quirrell is the one with the turban." Some of the first years looked up to the Head Table, as Flint called it.

"Hey, Draco, he is looking right at you."

"Yeah right, Goyle." Draco said as he took a drink.

"No, Malfoy. Goyle is right. Professor Snape is looking right at you."

Draco looked up at Flint before glancing to the Head Table. Flint and Goyle were right, Snape was looking right at him. Draco could not help but look right back at Snape. He was never one to give up at anything least of all a staring match. However, Draco looked away when he noticed that Professor Quirrell was also looking his way.

Draco briefly locked eyes with Professor Quirrell, before something flashed in his mind. It felt like someone was in pain, but Draco quickly shrugged it off. Whatever it was Draco definitely did not like it.

"You okay, Malfoy." A black haired first year sitting across from him asked.

Draco glanced down before replying. "Yeah, just fine." For the rest of the evening, Draco refused to look up to the Head Table. He did not want to feel that horrible feeing again. Draco later went to the Slytherin Common Room feeling royally put out and he definitely did not want to meet his Head of House.

Severus Snape sat at the Head Table waiting for the first years to arrive. Minerva had gone to collect them. Severus took a drink looking quite bored. He had been forced to sit next to Quirrell for the night. The man was insufferable and not only that, he had the job, which Severus wanted. Severus never understood why Dumbledore choose him, but he must have had a reason. Not a good one, to be sure, but there had to be one.

Finally, Minerva entered the Great Hall; with the first years, trailing behind her gawking at the extent it had been decorated. Some children Severus recognized right off like Goyle, Crabbe, Weasley (how could you not tell), and of course Harry Potter the Golden Boy himself was going to Hogwarts.

Severus looked back over to Crabbe and Goyle and noticed a blonde boy standing between them. _Now, who is that?_ Severus moved slightly to get a better look at the boy's face.

"Malfoy, Draco." Severus's eyes went wide at the name. _It could not be_.

The boy walked up to the sorting hat and was instantly put into Slytherin. The feast had begun and Severus still could not help but look at the boy. Finally, the boy looked up to the Head Table and both of them looked each other in the eye. _Those eyes, they look like...no, they cannot be her eyes. They were never light and his eyes __**are**__ darker, just like...  
_  
Then the boy looked away and Severus glanced to see Quirrell also staring at the boy. Severus looked back to the Slytherin Table to see the boy's face go slightly pale. _Why did he go pale all of a sudden?_

After that, the boy did not even glance their way. Severus was rather puzzled to his actions. Finally, the feast ended and the teachers went to their houses Common Rooms to talk to the returning students and the first years.


	3. Chapter 3

Draco was sitting in a chair next to the fireplace waiting for Professor Snape to arrive

Draco was sitting in a chair next to the fireplace waiting for Professor Snape to arrive. He had a blanket in his hands that was from the top of the chair. He had begun twirling it in his fingers almost the instant he had arrived in the common room and taken his current place next to the fireplace. Flint had remarked that Snape was not too mean and he did not bite, much and that did nothing for his already wary opinion of his Head of House.

The door to the common room opened slowly and Professor Snape came stalking in. Draco looked up quickly to see the Professor come in and for instant locked eyes with him, until Snape looked back toward the rest of the common room.

"My name is Professor Severus Snape. I am the head of Slytherin. As such, I expect you to give me adequate amount of respect. I also do not want Slytherin to be disrespected. Therefore, you will keep in mind, especially some older students, that if you feel the inclination to break any rules, do it discreetly. If there are no questions, I will ask the older students to collect their schedules and all the first years to assemble in front of the fireplace."

Professor Snape laid a pile of papers down on a large table and then came over to the fireplace. "Now, when I call your name I want you to say here and I will give you your schedules."

"Theodore Nott." "Here, Professor."

"Pansy Parkinson." "Here, sir."

"Millicent Bulstrode." "Here."

"Vincent Crabbe." "Here."

"Gregory Goyle." "Here."

"Blaise Zabini." "Present."

Professor Snape looked up at him, while the others chuckled. Snape simply smirked at Blaise and looked back down at his list. "You are Malfoy I assume?"

Draco had been watching the fire crackle while Professor Snape had been reading off the names. He looked up at the Professor. "Yes sir." Draco replied expecting his Head of House to elaborate more, but was slightly disappointed when Snape began to explain general rules.

"Well now that we are all acquainted let's begin shall we. As the Headmaster said during the feast, the Dark Forest is off limits. So please unless you wish to be devoured stay out of it. The third floor is off limits as well and if I hear anything about you searching around up there you will get detention. Now get up to your dorms. Mr. Malfoy, could you stay for a second?"

All the others left for their rooms as Draco turned back. "Mr. Malfoy your father is Lucius correct?" Draco noticed his professor's eyes narrow slightly and his voice held a bit of bitterness. Perhaps they knew each other.

"Yes, sir. You know my father, sir?"

"A long time ago...Has he made any statements about joining the Death Eaters?"

"Yes, my father speaks of it frequently."

"I see. I hope that you realize that I am not here to teach you Dark Magic, but rather potions."

"I understand, sir."

"Good. You may go to your dorm now." Severus watched the boy walk up the stairs.

All of the students filled into the Potions room not exceptionally pleased to be there, well the Gryffindors at least. This was Professor Snape's class and there was already rumours going around that he would come in and hex most of the Gryffindors. The only ones who were not 'terribly' frightened were Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy. All of which had chosen seats in the front.

Draco did not know yet what to expect from Snape, but he had always been rather exceptional in potions. He distinctly remembered both of his parents being proud of this.

It was not too hard to tell why his father was happy. The Dark Lord could always use a person trained in potions for when he regained his control of the Wizarding Community.

His mother on the other hand seemed to be happy for another reason; Draco suddenly realized he had never asked her why.

The door flew open from the back of the class and Severus Snape came stalking in.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making however for those select few, who have the pre-disposition,"

Draco caught the quick glance that Snape made toward him. Draco lifted an eyebrow, in slight confusion. _Why is he looking at me? He must have owled my father last night?_ Professor Snape continued. "I will show you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Snape looked over the classroom as if inspecting there reactions, seemingly pleased. He suddenly picked on a raven-haired boy sitting in the second row. "Potter?" The boy looked up from what he was writing. "What would you get if you added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"I don't know sir."

Draco listened on as Potter continued to repeat that he 'didn't know' the answers to the questions Snape asked him.

"Well, I guess you all must be dunderheads after all. Can no one tell me what any of those things are? No one?" Snape still ignored the raised hand of the Gryffindor girl sitting next to Potter.

Draco sheepishly raised his hand after no one seemed to want to answer. Snape turned and looked at Draco with a scrutinizing expression. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Asphodel and wormwood make the Draught of the Living Dead, a bezoar can be found in the stomach of a goat and there is no difference between monkshood and wolfsbane. They are the same plant." Silent whispers filled the room as Professor Snape stared at Draco his once scrutinizing expression turning into one of slight confusion and surprise.

"That is correct, Mr. Malfoy." Professor Snape said as he turned back toward the class and began to start the regular lesson. Of course, the boy named Neville ended up blowing up his cauldron and had to be taken to the Hospital Wing, by a fellow Gryffindor of course. A Slytherin would not be caught helping a Gryffindor and vice versa. Once class ended, Draco got up from his seat to leave.

"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape stopped him before he could leave, "where did you learn about potions? I was not under the impression that Lucius was not very skilled in the subject."

Draco looked down at the ground and quietly answered. "Well, my mother is pretty good at them, but she never really had the time to teach me. I guess I just always had a knack for potions and DADA." Draco added afterwards. He might be good at potions but he was also good at Defence against the Dark Arts.

His father had him home schooled on the subject when he was very young. You could not have a future Death Eater not know anything about the Dark Arts, and it would certainly be insulting to Lucius if his only son knew nothing about them at all. At the mention of DADA, Draco quickly excused himself so that he would not miss that very class.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: See First Chapter

It had been an interesting day for Draco with Potions class and Snape's excellent sneers and insults to Potter. Draco could not think of a better way to end a wonderful day. Draco walked along the almost silent halls of the castle, memorizing all of the different corridors. He had a few minutes before Defence against the Dark Arts and he was trying to spend it semi-wisely.

Hogwarts was certainly a large school. How could one person ever remember every passageway? Draco slowly shook his head in disbelief and went to go to DADA.

DADA class was not anywhere near as interesting as potions had been. Maybe it would have been had Quirrell talked normally, instead of stammering. _'This is your…Defence against the Dark Arts class…Who can tell me…what the Dark Arts…are?'_

Draco had to fight down a small fit of laughter when Quirrell first talked, but by the time class was well under way he had actually gotten used to it. The end of class came along rather quickly and the students filed out of the classroom, most relieved to be out of there.

Draco was near the front of the classroom and was silently waiting to leave. He made a mental note not to sit so far in front. He was in his own thoughts when the same pain from the feast hit him. Silently he grabbed onto the nearest desk for support.

"My dear boy…is everything…alright?" Quirrell's voice asked from the side of Draco. He looked up to see Quirrell suddenly standing in front of him. Softly Quirrell placed his hand on Draco's shoulder to make sure he was in fact ok. That was when Draco felt a full rush of emotions flood into him.

XXXXXX

_'Please don't!' A young girl with dark brunette hair screamed to a man wearing a mask._

_'You really think we are going to listen to you…you filthy Mudblood." One of the Death Eaters said almost calmly._

_Silent tears came to the girl's eyes. She suddenly seemed to realize that she would die._

_A hand came up and began to wipe her tears away. A sob came from the girl at the action._

_"We wouldn't want you looking bad before you die know would we?" Asked a second Death Eater. The hand stopped wiping the tears and both stared at each before the hand that was only moments ago gentle, came and hit the delicate face of the young girl._

XXXXXX

Draco was brought forcefully back to reality. He quickly looked away from the professor before him. He did not know if Quirrell was responsible for that or not. All he knew was now all he could think about was that girl screaming.

Swiftly, Draco ran from the classroom not even caring if Quirrell was following or not. He could hear Quirrell's voice yelling down the hall toward him, but he did not care.

All Draco could do was run. He ran as fast as he could, ignoring people's cries and yelling when he accidentally ran into them.

Suddenly Draco ran head first into something or rather someone. It caused Draco to fall backwards. He looked up to see Filch looking at him with a triumphant look to him.

"What do we have here? Maybe you will learn not to run in the halls or into people for that matter if you had the right motivation."

Filch then grabbed Draco's arm, picked him up and dragged him down to the dungeons. He knocked on the second door in the hallway.

"Enter." Filch opened the door and pulled Draco in ahead of him.

"Sorry to bother you Professor," Filch stated when he noticed the large amount of papers on his desk, "but this needs your immediate attention."

Severus finally looked up from the papers to see Filch holding Draco by the arm. Surprise came to Severus's eyes, but he quickly let it disappear into a small glare. What had the boy done?

"What is the matter, Filch?"

"I heard Professor Quirrell yelling to a student and went to check it out. Well it seemed like he was yelling at this young boy here. Obviously, he does not seem to understand what it means not to run in the corridors. He kept running into people and not stopping. Actually he ran right into me."

Severus looked at Filch doubtful if the man's words were truthful. Severus sat back in his chair thinking over this. He knew Filch would occasionally exaggerate just to see certain people get detention. Maybe Filch was right though.

"Leave him here and I will talk with him privately." Filch moved Draco to one of the chairs in front of Snape's desk and left the room. Severus silently watched as Filch left the room and then got up. He went in front of his desk and sat in front of the boy sitting in his office.

The boy sat there not even aware that Severus had switched positions. "Mr. Malfoy?" Severus looked on puzzled at the boy's inability to react. _What is wrong with him?_ "Mr. Malfoy!" Thankfully, that pulled the boys attention.

Severus looked at Draco concerned about the haunted look that was filling the boy's eyes. "Mr. Malfoy, were you running in the hallway?" Once again, Draco looked down, this time willingly.

This was getting nowhere. Severus got up and went to his potions cabinet to retrieve a vial. "I need you to take this, Mr. Malfoy."

The boy looked at it suspiciously. "What is it?"

"It is a calming potion." Severus lied, hoping the boy would take it. Fortunately he did, however his eyes went wide.

"What did you give me?"

_How did he know it was not a calming potion? No matter._ "What is your name?" Severus asked expecting him to answer immediately as anyone else would have on the Veritaserum. However, all Draco did was blink and look blankly in Severus's direction. _He could not be resisting the potion, could he?_

"What is your name?" Severus asked again louder. This time Draco answered.

"Draco Malfoy." _Ok, better ask some simple questions before getting into the more complex ones.  
_  
"What house are you in?" "Slytherin."

"Who is you mother?" "Narcissa Malfoy."

Had Draco been 'conscious' at the moment he would have seen Severus's face go paler than it had been normally. Slowly, but surely Severus composed himself enough to continue asking questions.

"Why…Why were you running in the hall?"

"To get away from Professor Quirrell."

Severus looked warily at Draco. _Why would he run from a Professor?_ "What did Professor Quirrell do?"

"I don't know."

"What did he do?" Severus asked louder.

"I…I don't know." Draco's eyes were coming back to their normal shade. Darn the potion was wearing off.

"What am I doing here, Professor?" Draco asked abruptly. Did he not remember why he was here?

"Filch brought you here hoping to get you in detention for running in the hall. I trust, Mr.…Malfoy it will not happen again."

"Of course, Professor."

"Good, you may leave now." Draco got up and quickly left the office. Severus sat watching him go.


End file.
